Golf-ball washer



June. 24, v A, BLAKEMQRE- 1,768,229

GOLF BALL WASHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 3, 1928 June 24, 1930. :A. PfBLAKEMoR:

GOLF BALL WASHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 led Aprii 5, 192a Patented June 24, 193% umran stares ALFRED P. BLAKEMORE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO KATZ AND BLAKEIVIOEE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A FIRM COMPOSED OF SIEGFBIED KATZv AND ALFRED 1?. BLAKEMORE GOLF-BALL WASHER Application filed A rn a,

This invention relates to a device for cleaning golf balls and similar spherical objects. The principal object of the invention is to construct the device in such a manner that a ball once placed therein will be automatically turned and rolledso that all parts of its surface will be brought into contact with a cleaning fluid, then into contact with a cleaning or scrubbing element and finally delivered from the device in a thoroughly cleaned condi'tion.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the device that a person cleaning a ball may do so without wetting or soiling their hands, a compartment or cup being provided into which the ball may be dropped and into which the ball is finally delivered after having been cleaned, and from which the ball may be taken without the person being required to place their hand in the cleaning fluid when retrieving the ball.

The structure will be hereinafter described in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a side andfront elevation of the device, mounted upon a relatively fixed supporting structure;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the device drawn on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device with the cover removed, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4,.showing the means for securing the cover to the body of the device.

The device comprises, in general, a substantially semi-spherical hollow body element 1 and a cover 2. Located in the body element 1 and spaced above the bottom 3 thereof is a ball supporting platform' 4. Between the ball supporting platform 4 and the cover 2 is mounted a circular rotatable scrubbing brush 5, between which and the ball supporting platform 4 a passageway 6 is formed for guiding the balls through the device during the cleaning operation.

A ball receiving cup 7 is formed inone side of the body element 1 and projects laterally beyond the circular vertically extending side so wall 8 of the said body element. The bottom 1928. Serial No. 267,079.

9 of the ball receiving cup 7 is located in substantially the same horizontal plane with the ball supporting platform 4, and forms a continuation thereof.

The ball supporting platform 4 is provided with a vertically extending flange 10 which, as shown in Fig. 4:, is composed of four straight connected sections 10 10 10 and 10 respectively, which are arrangedin the form of a trapezoid. The flange 10 forms one side wall of the ball passageway 6, the other sidewall 11 of which is formed by projections 11 11",'11 and 11 formed on the in side of and integral with the circular vertical wall 8 of the body 1. The vertical wall 11 of the projections 11 11 11 and 11 are respectively located opposite and substantially parallel to the sections 10*, 10 10 and 10 of the flange 10 on the platform 4:, thus the passageway 6 assumes the form of a trapezoid with one of its corners in direct communication with the interior of the ball receiving'cup 7.

The, wall 11 of each of the projections 11 11", 11 and 11 is provided with a shoulder or ledge 12 upon which the platform 4 rests. The platform 4: is provided with a series of perforations 13 which afford communication between the ball passageway 6 and the space 14 under the said platform.

A cleaning fluid of any desired nature, preferably water, is placed in the body 1 and permitted to rise to a level, indicated at 00, above the platform 1, the fluid passing through the perforations 13 in said plat form, which also permits the passage of dirt and other foreign matter topass into the space 1 1 in the body 1, from which it may be removed through a threaded drainage outlet 15 formed in the bottom 3 of the body 1 and normally closed by a threaded plug 16. 4

The scrubbing brush 5 comprises a disc 17, preferably of wood, in which is mounted a series of tufts or bunches of bristles 18 which extend to a plane immediately adjacent the top of the flange 10 on the platform 4.

The disc 17 is secured by means of screws I 19 to a flange or head 20 formed on'the lower end of a vertically disposed spindle 21, which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 22 formed in the cover 2. On the upper end of the spindle 21 is secured a crank 23, by means of a pin 24 passing through the head 25 of said crank and said spindle.

, 8 of the body 1.

the underside of the head 25 of the crank 23.

The cover 2 is provided with a series of spaced lugs which project inside of and below the upper edge of thewall 8 ofthebody 1 as. shown in Fig. 5, thereby maintaining the cover in a centralized position relatively to said body. The lugs 30 are provided with threaded apertures 31 which are adapted to register with openings 32 formed in the wall Screws 33 are adapted to pass through said openings, 32 and to be threaded into the openings 31 of the lugs 30, whereby the cover 2 is held in place on.

the body 1.

A bracket 35 is integrally formed on the body 1 and comprises a plate 36 adapted to ,be secured by bolts 37 to a similar plate 88 formedon a head 39 which is secured to the upper end of a post l0. The plate 38 is connected by a curved extension 41 to the head 39 and is offset from said post in such a manner as to cause the operating spindle 2'1 of the device to be substantially aligned with the said post, whereby the weight of the de Vice is centralized. The post 4'0 may be planted inthe ground or provided with a suitable base 42 adapted to sit on the surface of the ground. The post 4-0 may also be provided witha bracket 13 on which may be hung a bucket of water, drying cloths, etc., as a matter of convenience in connection with i the washing device.

In operation a golf ball is dropped into the ball receiving cup 7, the lower portion of the ball being submerged in the cleaning fluid. The ball is then directed into the opening 45 formed between the side walls 16,46 of the cup 7, the lower edge of the cover 2, and the platform a and bottom 9 of the cup; The ball passes between one of the said sidewalls 16 and one side of fin 4?, which projects toward the cup 7 from the flange 10 on the platform 4. The upper portion of the ball is then engaged by the bristles 18 of the brush 5 and as the brush is rotated, by operating the crank 23, the ball is passed into one of the legs 6 of the quadrilateral passageway 6. For example, if the crank be turned in a clockwise direction the ball will be first moved against the wall 11 ofv the projection 11 The ball will be engaged at three points of its surface, i. e. where it rests on the platform 4, where it rests against the wall 11 and where it is engaged by the brush 5; thus when the crank is rotatedthe ball will be rotated about an axis 3 which assumes a position at an angle relative to the plat-' form 4 and wall 11, and is radially disposed with respect to the center of rotation of the brush 5. As the ball continues to be rolled it travels toward the center of rotation of the brush 5, the greatest pressure on the ball then being exerted in a substantially vertical line between the bristles of the brush and the point of contact of the ball with the platform 4, which causes the axis ofrotation of the ball 3/ to assume a substantially horizontalposition. As the ballmovesalong the leg 6 toward the leg 6' it again travels away from the centerof rotation of the brush and the axis of rotation of the ball againassumes This operation is re- While the operation has been'described in connection with but one ball, obviously several balls may be passing'through the device at the same time.

I claim:

ion.

1. In a cleaning device for spherical objects, the combination of abody element having a continuous, passageway disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, said passageway comprising a series of rectilineal sections arranged at angles relative to each other and the said passageway being open at its upperside throughout its course, a flat disc-like cleaning element mounted for rotation in a plane'substantially parallel to the planeof said passageway and disposed above the open side thereof, means for rotating said cleaning element and a single cupextending laterally from said body element an d having communication with said passageway, for receiving a ball to be cleaned and. for'receiving the ball after it has been cleaned.

2. In a cleaning device for spherical objects, the combination of a hollow body element adapted to contain. a cleaning fluid, a

perforated ball supporting platform in said hollow body element above the bottom there of and below the level of said cleaning fluid,

said body element having acontinuous horizontally extending passageway above "said.

platform comprising a series of connected Y rectilineal sections arranged at angles relative to each other the upper side of said pas sageway being open, a flat disc-like cleaning element horizontally disposed above the open side of said passageway, means for ro tating said cleaning element, and a single cup extending laterally from said body element and having communication with said passageway at the angle formed by two of the adjoining rectilinear sections of the passageway, for receiving a ball before and after cleaning.

3. In a cleaning deviceforsphericalobjects, the combination of a hollow body element adapted to contain a cleaning fluid, a perforated ball supporting platform in said hollow body element above the bottom thereof and below the level of said cleaning fluid, said body elementhaving a continuous horizontally extending passageway above said platform comprising a series of connected rectilineal sections arranged at angles relative to each other the upper side of said passageway being open, a fiat disc-like cleaning element horizontally disposed above the open side of said passageway, means for rotating said cleaning element, a single ball receiving cup extending laterally from said body element and having communicationwith saidpassage- Way, a projection extending into said passageway and adapted to direct a ball from said cup into said passageway, and from said passageway into said cup as the cleaning element is rotated, a drain in the bottom of said hollow body element for discharging said cleaning fluid from the device.

4. In a cleaning device for spherical objects, the combination of hollow substantially semispherical body element, a laterally extending ball receiving cup on said body element, a cover for said body element, a perforated ball supporting platform horizontally disposed in said body element above the bottom thereof, a vertically extending projection on said platform, said projection having a plurality of rectilineal sides arranged at angles relative to each other, a plurality of projections on the wall of said body elen'ient disposed in planes substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the respective sides of the said vertical projection, whereby a continuous passageway is formed in "aid device which is adapted to commin n with said ball receiving cup, a disc-like cleaning element rotatably mounted in said. cover and adapted to rotate in a horizontal plane above said passageway, and means for rotat i cleaning element.

5. In a cleaning device for spherical objects, the combination of a hollow substantially semispherical body element, a ball receiving cup extending laterally from said body element, a cover for said body element, a perforated ball supporting platform horizontally mounted in said body element. above the bottom thereof, a flange'extending. vertically from said platform around the con-l ative to each other, a series of projections on the wall of said body element disposed in planes substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the respective rectilineal sections of said vertical flange, whereby a continuous passageway is formed in said device which is adapted to communicate with the said ball receiving cup, a flat circular cleaning element disposed in a horizontal plane above said passageway, a spindle rotatably mounted in said cover to which said cleaning element is secured, and a crank on said spindle for rotating said cleaning element.

6. In a cleaning device for spherical objects, the combination of a hollow substantially semispherical body element, aball receiving cup extending laterally from said body element, a removable cover for said body element, means for securing said cover to said body element, a removable perforated ball supporting platform horizontally mounted in said body element above the bottom thereof, shoulders on the wall of said body element for supporting said plat-form, a flange extending vertically from said platform around the center thereof, said flange comprising a series of rectilineal sections arranged at angles relative to each other, a series of projections on the wall of said body element disposed in planes substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the respective rectilineal sections of said vertical flange, whereby a continuous passageway is formed in said device which communicates with the said ball receiving cup, a flat circular cleaning element disposed in a horizontal plane above said passageway, a spindle rotatably mounted in said cover to which said cleaning element issecured, and a crank on said spindle for rotating said cleaning element.

7. In a cleaning device for spherical objects, the combination of a hollow substantially semispherical body element, a ball receiving cup extending laterally from said body element, a cover for said body element, a perforated ball supporting platform horizontally mounted in said body element above thebottom thereof, aflange extending vertically from said platform around the center thereof, said flange comprising a series of rectilineal sections arranged at angles I'G1u' tive to each other, a series of projections on the wall of said body element disposed in planes substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the respective rectilineal sections of said vertical flange, whereby a continuous Ill) passageway is formed-in said device which communicates with the said ball receiving cup, a fin on said flange adapted to direct a ball into said passageway from said cup, and out of said passageway into said cup, a flat circular cleaning clementdisposed in a licrizontalplane above said passageway, a spindle rotatably mounted in said cover to which said cleaning element is secured, and a crank on said spindle for rotating said cleaning element.

ALFRED P. BLAKEMORE. 

